A blog about tabletop hobby and or strategy games, with a side order of electronic turn based goodness here and there. Now with tons of retro gaming content both electronic and tabletop. Also with 20% more self loathing douchebaggery!

Current Unspent XP: 16 (Most likely 15 will be spent on raising Intelligence to 3. Next two session's XP will be used to take Firearms, probably to 2 dots.)

Rufus grew up in the late 70s and early 80s. While his family was pretty poor, he was mostly happy, and his Saturday mornings were spent with a bowl of Corn Pops, a couple toys, and many glorious hours in front of the TV watching cartoons.

Cartoons were his escape from living in a trailer home and his generally off working (when they weren't out drinking) parents rarely being around. Optimus Prime, Duke, and Captain Global were his father figures. The Voltron Force his brothers and sisters. The Thundercats his pets.

In a rare difference one day in 1988 he was taken to an amusement park for his birthday. His mother being too hung over to even get out of bed, it was just Rufus and his dad that day. And it was there in a land of roller coasters and videogames that he was taken. His father was getting them lunch and Rufus was over by the Star Wars machine playing a couple rounds when he heard some splashing at the lake over the park's fence. It sounded like someone was drowning!

Following what he learned from various morals and messages in his cartoons he acted without hesitation, jumping over the fence to try to help whoever was in danger. There was NO TIME to waste! He yelled quickly for anyone to get real help and dove right in to help whoever was in trouble.

When he got to the thrashing person he found it to be a preteen just like him. In fact once he got a good look at him, he saw it WAS HIM. With an evil grin this impostor tried to pull him under only to get a solid punch from Rufus. Those martial arts classes at the Y were paying off! It worked for Snake Eyes after all. Then from below something was pulling him under! He grabbed at his doppleganger and didn't let go. Deeper and deeper till all went black.

When his father heard the commotion and got over there he saw something bob to the surface, lifeless.

His only son. On his 12th birthday. Dead.

Rufus was then indoctrinated into his new world by Stefan. A world of hunts and violence and death. Yet Stefan was stern, not harsh, and took a firm liking to Rufus' spirit and attitude. He had seen so few people who actually were as idealistic as this boy was. Rufus for a time followed his instructions, and let the beast inside come out. Yet it was a noble beast, a white tiger. Yet even the most majestic animal has a side terrible to behold, a side of wrath. Whenever Rufus saw injustice this side came out. The results were usually fatal for someone.

On what would have been his 24th birthday Stefan let Rufus go. The day before Stefan had professed all his feelings towards Rufus. Feelings Rufus did not share or reciprocate. In fact in spite of the power and magic and adventures they had shared Rufus merely wanted to be in the real world with his family.

Hurt, Stefan told him to leave. But now the hunter would be the hunted. Like one of Rufus' favorite movies said "If they catch you, they will kill you".

But first they had to catch him. And Rufus said he would take out anyone who tried, even if he fell in the process. Even if he had to face Stefan himself. Optimus Prime didn't back down when Megatron fought him on Autobot City, and neither would Rufus!

Getting back to the real world Rufus tried to reconnect with his family. His mother blaming his father, had left him via a cheap pistol in her mouth. His father had spent the last decade working and when not working drinking trying to forget it all. Yet this man seemed so much like his boy it brought a little life back to him. He helped his son get back on his feet any way he could, using some of his drinking buddies to get Rufus fake ids and data so he could live like a normal person.

Yet Rufus could not stay. They would hunt him. Saying goodbye to his dad, he joined the Navy for a tour and travelled the world, keeping moving and as sailors so often do, never really staying in one place for too long. He took this time to learn as much as he could, and sent most of his pay home to his father, outside of what he needed for martial arts classes and basic necessities like clothes and Corn Pops.

Upon completing his tour in the Navy he started competing in various martial arts competitions both legal and illegal, winning enough to live out of a suitcase and help people in the towns he visited, like Bill Bixby did in the Hulk.

Then one day a friend of his, Eric Stewart (possibly my secondary character) introduced him to other runaways. He found notice of a meeting one summer night in Willimantic Connecticut.

And yet again, everything changed.

(Actual play begins here.)

The Summer King Sid was murdered! The Spring Queen turned up missing! People were thrown into the Hedge without their consent! Thrust into this sort of situation Rufus helped to take charge, worked with his fellow runaways and brought Sid's killer to justice, and revealed the reason the area was so safe in the past. People were being taken as sacrifices and taken back to those nightmarish lands.

Rufus was elected Summer King and is currently trying to come to grips to his new role as a commander of disparate people who are full of mistrust and doubt. Rufus will bring them together as brothers and sisters in arms, even if he has to die to do it.